Amendments proposed by the states for the Land act puts the government in jeopardy
UPA government came up with a new land bill and it was accepted by all the parties in the legislation. However after it was implemented, the states started complaining that they are unable to acquire land for the infrastructure projects. States have suggested 19 amendments to the land law. However if all of them are made, the new law would end up being a copy of the previous one in a new language.
The Narendra Modi government is keen to amend the new Land Acquisition Act; however they are still worried even though it has an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha. Makingthe land acquisition easier for industry on the ground could require an unprecedented effort for the National Democratic Alliance government.
The government drew up minutes of the state revenue ministers meeting in June on the problems they faced with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. It was a long laundry list of 19 amendments which all came from the states.
Officials in the rural development ministry under Nitin Gadkari were given the task of reviewing (or implementing) the law. In their opinion, is not likely to be the case and the amendments, if and when finalised, will look at removing only the critical roadblocks.
We are still not sure if the government is looking to build any consensus on all the 19 amendments. The government should figure out what amendments are common to ideas that came from the states.
Source- Business Standard
Infrastructure projects, Land bill, Narendra Modi Government, New Land Acquisition Act, UPA government
